Ghalib to resign from wrestling body<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Attorney General Lt. Gen. Andi M. Ghalib said on
\nMonday he would resign as chairman of the Indonesian Wrestling
\nAssociation (PGSI), following allegations he had abused his
\nposition to collect donations from the public, including two
\ntycoons.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) disclosed on Ghalib's
\n53rd birthday last Thursday that a total of Rp 450 million
\n(US$57,000) was transferred to Ghalib's account by businessmen
\nThe Nin King and Prajogo in April.<\/p>\n
Ghalib called the allegation \"unforgivable slander\", but also
\nsaid \"wrestling gives me a headache\".<\/p>\n
\"It's better for me to resign,\" he said at a joint media
\nconference with Minister of Justice Muladi, after meeting with
\nPresident B.J. Habibie at the latter's official residence in
\nPatra Kuningan, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"Please settle it in accordance with the law,\" Muladi quoted
\nHabibie as advising Ghalib.<\/p>\n
Ghalib said his notice had been triggered by a statement made
\nby Muladi at the media conference that to avoid a conflict of
\ninterest Cabinet ministers should not chair sports organizations.<\/p>\n
Ghalib said the money was never intended for his own
\ninterests, and was wholly set aside for funding wrestling sports.<\/p>\n
\"The money is still there and has not been used at all,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, ICW coordinator Teten Masduki alleged Rp 1.8
\nbillion was transferred to accounts in the name of Ghalib and his
\nwife, Andi Murniati. Teten said 11 deposits were made to their
\naccounts between Feb. 12 and May 16 at a national private bank in
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ghalib officially took the helm of PGSI on April 13.
\nBusinessmen Nin King and Prajogo transferred their donations on
\nApril 23 and April 27 respectively.<\/p>\n
Before revealing the controversial case to the media on
\nThursday, the independent watchdog provided copies of documents
\nrelating to the alleged Rp 1.8 billion in transfers to National
\nMilitary Police Headquarters. The documents were delivered to the
\nlatter organization earlier on Thursday, because Ghalib is still
\nan active three-star general.<\/p>\n
According to Teten, copies of the transfers were mailed to the
\nICW office from an unidentified party.<\/p>\n
In a related development on Monday, the attorney general,
\nrepresented by office spokesman Soehandoyo and two lawyers,
\nlodged a complaint against ICW for slander and defamation at
\nJakarta Police Headquarters.<\/p>\n
ICW executives Teten and Bambang Widjojanto were named as the
\nguilty party in their legal report.<\/p>\n
After lodging the complaint, Ghalib's lawyers, Ruhut Sitompul
\nand Hotma Sitompul, said their client informed the police that
\nviolation of bank secrecy laws had occurred.<\/p>\n
The lawyers appeared to be referring to the accounts of Ghalib
\nand his wife at the Melawai branch office of the Lippo Bank in
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The legal team declined to clarify their statement.<\/p>\n
However, Ruhut said Ghalib was not complaining about the
\ncontent of the ICW's findings.<\/p>\n
\"It's not the material that concerns us, but ICW's intention
\nto slander and defame Pak Ghalib.<\/p>\n
\"If those people (from ICW) had goodwill, they should not have
\nheld the media conference to disclose the allegation, but
\nconfirmed it, or crosschecked it with the concerned parties,
\nincluding Pak Ghalib.\"<\/p>\n
Ruhut refused to comment on whether his remark could also mean
\nhis client accepted the allegation.<\/p>\n
Last Friday, Denny Kailimang, a lawyer acting for Nin King and
\nPrajogo, acknowledged the Rp 450 million transfer from his
\nclients. However, he dismissed the bribery allegation, saying the
\nfund transferred to Ghalib's account was for the wrestling
\nassociation.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights
\nAssociation supported the ICW findings.<\/p>\n
\"The transfer is not only addressed to Ghalib's account, but
\nalso to his wife's (account),\" chairman of the association
\nHendardi said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Hendardi Prajogo and Nin King should also be held accountable
\nfor their role in the matter.<\/p>\n
\"There is the principal of 'no free lunch' in a bribery case,\"
\nHendardi said. (prb\/emf)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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